Phantom Limb
by mythica magic
Summary: They've both known horror. It's left it's scars, for better or worse. The cold reveals more than it should. Azuyui mild horror oneshot commission. Takes place after Azusa loses his arm in his MB route.


AN: Apologies in advance for mentioning Christmas in September, I just couldn't get the image of a lonely Azusa finding shelter on the holidays out of my head, sue my muse.

* * *

 **Phantom Limb**

Unfamiliar. Cold.

Sights, sounds and smells that Yui could never grow accustomed to assault her senses as she grips a pale hand tight. A bite lay in the air. Unfortunately what with Christmas coming up, Azusa had insisted on looking around the Demon World stores, and had lead the way into a shadow-drenched one.

Crooked trinkets hung inside it's windows, catching the dim light and reflecting it.

The store owner gives them a once over as they browse, lips grimacing at the empty sleeve of Azusa's left arm. Yui's eyes turn a little hard in response, and quickly distracts Azusa with senseless babble.

"This necklace is nice. Oh!- And maybe Kou would like this bracelet."

Azusa pauses, before pulling her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulders with a soft look in his eyes, inhaling her scent. He hears her heart flutter inside her chest, and a sad smile graces his lips. Eve was too kind…no, Yui was too kind.

 _'To a useless wretch like you.'_

Azusa stops and stares at a dust touched Snow Globe. A small plastic church lay inside, looking strangely familiar. Yui catches his line of sight and blinks, reaching for it.

"Wait, Yui-san-!" Azusa's scarred hand snaps out, only to miss her own as it swipes straight through.

The Snow Globe rattles on the shelf, a flurry of snow disturbed within the glass and floating down onto the church.

* * *

Unfamiliar. Cold.

Yui looks around frantically, vision obstructed by the raging white that blurs into her eyes.

"Azusa-kun!" She shouts for the fifth time, voice hoarse.

Her breath comes hard and fast, visible in the air. She turns on her heel, and finds herself looking up at faded grey stone. The church looms high.

Seeing no other shelter, Yui steels herself and pushes inside, despite the heavy beat of – _intruder, intruder!_ Resounding in her mind.

She who lay with a vampire, she who bled all over her broken vows... now sought comfort in the house of God.

The church aisle was silent and empty. Holly hung on the sparse décor. Yui shivers violently as she shuts the door behind her, rubbing her arms.

"Hello?" She calls out.

Her eyes were drawn to a calendar on the wall. December 25th.

 _But it's not Christmas for three weeks yet._

Something skitters out of view to her left, and Yui starts, hand on her rapid heart. Breathing out, she ventures closer, looking at the dark shape huddled at the foot of one of the wooden benches.

A pair of tiny feet peep out from under the cloak, and this sets her fears aside. Crouching down, she sets her hand on the small back that flinches under her touch.

"It's alright," she says quietly. "I got a little turned around. Could you tell me where I am? Are you alone too?" The child nods slowly, and without hesitation, Yui shifts closer. A small bandaged hand was drawn tight to their chest.

"It looks like it's Christmas here. It's a sad thing…to be alone on the holidays. My Father was sometimes busy so," Yui stops herself. It's not as if she'd been on the streets like this child clearly was, judging by his appearance.

The hood obscuring their face falls back, and familiar violet gazes up at her, framed by rumpled dark locks curling at his cheeks. "So…you know how it feels," he hums quietly.

"Azusa-kun…"

The boy who so closely resembled her love rubs his scarred cheek. "Miss…it hurts, but it's not pleasurable. I wonder why. My friends...they're gone." He murmurs, and Yui notes his red nose, the blue tinge of his fingers. "There's no one…to laugh at my pain anymore. If they don't laugh, then how...do I know I'm alive?"

"Don't talk that way. There's your brothers who care for you. And besides, I'm...here," she insists, gathering him close to her, cradling him on her lap.

"You don't want to do that," a voice calls out.

Yui looks up, gaze locking with a Nun who stared down at them. Something nostalgic burns Yui's eyes.

"Let go of the demon, my child. He corrupts you so. Or has his kind face fooled you? Shall I reveal what their kind truly look like under the glamour?" The sister raises her lit torch, shining an orange hue on Azusa's soft wisps of hair.

The shape under Yui's hands changes, the cloak bleeding away onto the floor as something cold takes it's place. Damp skin stretches too thin over bone. Something sharp stabs into her neck, and Yui chokes on a gasp. Fangs. The creature in her arms pants hot sticky breath, and she can feel it's weight pressing down on her- a grotesque quality to it's leathery, scarred skin.

The Nun's eyes narrow. "See what the twisted evil does to you, my sweet girl? Cast him out into the cold at once. You've suffered so long, stay here where it's warm."

Phantom aches of past bite marks littering her body flare to life. One on her thigh from Laito...another on her wrist from Reiji, or was it Shuu's? Another from Kanato. Too numerous to count anymore. Her skin is a worn patchwork quilt. Dry and full of paper cuts. Her fingers shift over the thing in her arms, sliding over it's left shoulder, fear climbing up her throat like mud. Too much pain. She was going to be devoured-

Her hand meets a stump abruptly. She feels for a left arm, but finds nothing. The boy in her arms gives a muffled noise, like a terrible wail.

Even as she feels her blood be drained, swallowed by greedy mouthfuls, her arms tighten. She swallows, gasping in agony as she clutches him to her.

"Yes, I have," the girl murmurs, looking up slowly with tired eyes. "But, Azusa has too. We're the same…so if he's twisted in your eyes, so am I."

The Nun's lips thin, peeling back to revealing gritted, spittle coated teeth. Saliva drips down her chin.

"You're a blind fool!" She hisses, lunging for the two.

A knife plunges deep into her chest, body jolting harshly. Azusa stares into the demon's eyes, his own half lidded.

"..Don't interfere… with my paradise."

Yui hears a shriek, and quickly presses a hand to her eyes as white blinds her.

* * *

She sways, disorientated as though she'd missed a step on the stairs, before she catches herself standing in the store again.

Azusa stands next to her, breathing heavily, eyes a touch wide.

Yui launches herself into his chest. He holds her twice as tight to make up for the missing limb. His wonderful imperfection makes her breathe out in relief.

Familiar. Warm.

Safe.


End file.
